Open letter calls on Vatican to rethink China deal, calling it a “regrettable mistake”

During the past week, several news stories have been circulating reporting that the Vatican has reached an agreement with the Chinese Communist government regarding the appointment of bishops for several dioceses in China. To date, there has been no official acknowledgement from the Vatican confirming such an accord.

In another development related to the proposed Vatican/China agreement, a Hong Kong group, consisting mostly of attorneys, human rights activists and scholars, published an open letter on February 12, 2018, addressed to the bishops’ conferences of the world. Their letter requested the world’s bishops to appeal to the Vatican to “rethink the current agreement, and stop making an irreversible and regrettable mistake.”

On Sunday, February 11, Chinese Bishop Joseph Guo Xijin, stated his willingness to step down and respect any agreement worked out between the Vatican and China. Guo is one of the two Chinese “underground” bishops recognized by the Catholic Church but not Chinese authorities.